Why can't I open HEIC photos on Windows 11?

[Cooper325]

I recently encountered an issue with my Windows 11 system where I am unable to open photos in the HEIC format. Despite multiple attempts, whenever I try to view these files, the system either doesn't recognize them or fails to display them correctly. I'm seeking assistance to understand and resolve this problem,ensuring I can seamlessly view HEIC photos on Windows 11 computer. Any insights or solutions would be greatly appreciated.

Updated: Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions. I have successfully converted more than 2,000 HEIC photos to JPG on my Win 11. I'm using a TunesBro HEIC converter app, it's a paid software, but I think it's worth it! Online conversion wastes so much of my time and is so slow!

[#2]

Hello,

See if this guide helps you:

https://www.kapilarya.com/how-to-open-heic-files-on-windows-11

Let us know if this helps!

Note: Included link in this reply refers to blog post by a trusted Microsoft MVP.

[#3]

@Cooper325  

Man, I was pulling my hair out because my brand-spanking-new Windows 11 wouldn't play nice with HEIC photos. 🤦‍:male_sign: You'd think with a new OS, this wouldn't be a thing, right?

Alright, here's the deal: HEIC is Apple's new image format that started with iOS 11. It's kinda like their version of JPEG but smaller in file size and better in quality. Now, the bummer is that Windows, by default, doesn't fully support HEIC out of the box. But don't despair, there's a quick fix!

Here's the magic trick:

1. Go to the Microsoft Store.
2. Search for "HEIF Image Extensions" and download it. This is like giving Windows those cool shades to see HEIC photos. 8)
3. While you're at it, grab the "HEVC Video Extensions" too. It's for videos, but sometimes photos and videos are bundled in the same weird tech soup.
4. Once they're installed, just restart your PC (or if you're feeling techy, just restart the Photos app).

After doing this, those HEIC photos should pop open just like good ol' JPEGs!

Hope this sorts things out for ya! Cheers and happy photo viewing!

[#4 · Accepted solution]

.heic is a common format used by Apple iPhone and iPad. It is not natively supported by Windows, even including the latest Windows 11. You should either install the heic image extension or use a third-party image converter. The later choice is more recommended as it can share the converted images (png/jpg) with others. In addition, you can also edit the image. 

Here is a step-by-step tutorial to convert heic image to jpg so you can directly open the image after conversion:

https://www.tunesbro.com/user-guide/heic-converter.html

Let me know if you need further assistance on opening heic images on Windows 11.